Sponge for containing soap



Dec. 24, 1963 J. SPlTERl 3,114,928

SPONGE FOR CONTAINING SOAP Fild NOV. 20, 1961 1% 5 INVENTOR.

J$PH 5 Pure! BZMZ/ United States Patent 3,114,928 SPONGE FOR CONTAININGSOAP Joseph Spiteri, Erie, Pa., assignor to Electr-O-Mech, Inc, Erie,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 20, 1961, Ser. No. 153,4311 Claim. (Cl. 15568) This invention relates to sponges and, moreparticularly, to improved sponges for use for domestic purposes and thelike.

The invention disclosed herein constitutes a continuation in part ofthat shown in patent application, Serial No. 131,672, filed August 15,1961, now abandoned.

The invention includes a sponge made of suitable material which could benatural sponge but, in the preferred embodiment, is a synthetic spongeof a size suitable for the intended purpose which is ordinarily a sizeconvenient to handle for the operator in one hand.

The sponge according to the invention is made of a single integral pieceof sponge material slotted inwardly from one end to form an internalcavity therein which may be used to receive washing powder, cleaningsolution, scouring powder, flake soap, or even a cake of soap. The endof the slot may be held in closed position by means of a strip ofpressure sensitive material. In practice, it has been discovered that amaterial available on the market under the trade name Velcro makes anefficient, effective fastener.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide animproved sponge in combination with a fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sponge havingan improved closure therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sponge which is simplein construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and easy to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a sponge according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the sponge shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, a sponge is shown ofgenerally rectangular shape having a wide slot 11 in the end thereofwhich is joined by a narrower slot 12. The slot 12 terminates at edges13 and parts the material to form a rectangular enclosure therein. Someof the material may be removed from the sides of the slot 12 to form acavity at 14 in the sponge. Two pieces 16 of Velcro material will thenbe put in place. Material can be removed to form a slot 9 wider than theslot 11 to provide a finger entering groove.

The slot 11 is slightly wider than the slot 12. This provides two fiatsurfaces which extend laterally past the edges of slot 12 to receive thetwo pieces or strips 16 and 17 of the pressure sensitive material. Thepressure sensitive material may be in the form of two pieces of tapewhich may be of Velcro cemented to the sponge by suitable solvent on oneside thereof and the other to opposed sides having the usual surfaceswhich have afiinity for each other. In practice, the sponge may be aboutfive inches long, four inches wide, and one and one-half inches thick;however, it could be of any particular shape.

The slot 11 could be three inches long and the slot 12 could be fourinches long so that a wall of about onehalf inch would be formed alongeach side thereof. This wall thickness could be more or less, dependingupon the service to which the sponge is to be put and, also, dependingupon the strength of the sponge material. The slot 11 could be aboutone-fourth inch wider on each end than the slot 12 so that the Velcromaterial will hold the slot in closed position across the entire widthof slot 12. This also prevents the sponge from tearing at the edge ofslot 12 which would form a leak. One side outward of the cavity 14indicated at 2X is considerably thicker than the side indicated at 1X.This allows soap to fiow through the side indicated at 1X much morefreely than through the side indicated at 2X.

In use, a person will grasp the edges of the sponge adjacent the centerat each side of the Velcro material at 16 on each side thereof and pullthem apart. The pressure sensitive material may be pulled apart andsuitable soap can be inserted into the cavity 14. Then the material canbe pressed together and the soap will be encased in the sponge where itwill flow out with water as a solution as the sponge is used.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but it is understood that the structure shown is capableof modification within a range of equivalents without departing from theinvention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensuratewith the appended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A sponge adapted to contain a soap comprising a body of sponge materialbeing split partway across one end and into said body to form a cavitythere inclosed on three sides by the integral walls of said sponge, anend slot in said end slightly wider than the split forming said cavity,and two pieces of pressure sensitive Velcro material being fixed one toeach side of the inside surfaces defining said slot with the mutuallyattracted surfaces being opposed to each other and co-planar with saidsurfaces defining said slot and inward of the end thereof so that theymay be pressed together to hold said sponge in closed position entirelyacross said cavity or pulled apart to replenish said soap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,991,001 Hughes July 4, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 677,403 Great Britain Aug.13, 1952 862,511 France Dec. 9, 1940

